Neutron Moderation and Absorption in Reactors

This lecture delves into the concepts of neutron moderation and absorption in reactors, exploring the behavior of neutrons in thermal equilibrium and the impact of resonance scattering. The instructor explains the significance of potential scattering, resonance scattering, and the role of hydrogen in the absence of resonances. The lecture covers the implications of neutron distribution, resonance escape probability, and Doppler broadening on reactor operation. The discussion extends to the discretization of energy for accurate modeling, highlighting the trade-offs between computational efficiency and accuracy in solving the diffusion equation. The session concludes with insights into energy discretization schemes and the practical considerations in numerical formulations for reactor analysis.